MAN LOST IN BUSH

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19982, 6 July 1939, Page 4

MAN LOST IN BUSH

SIX DAYS MISSING FEARS FOR SAFETY SEARCH PARTIES OUT SEQUEL TO PIG HUNT (Special to the Herald.) RUATORIA, this day. Fears are beLd for the safety' of Dave Campbell, aged l 22, a Maori, who has been missing in the bush near Aorangi since Friday, June 30. A large search party is at present out looking for the missing man, . Mr. Campbell, in company with two other men, Mr. George Ward arid his brother, Mr. Jim Ward, left Horehore station to go pig-hunting .on Mt. Hikurangi. The three men, aIL of whom, are expert bushmen, came upon several pigs in a group and separated, leach man following a separate ipig. While the .hunt was on, heavy rain commenced to fall and fog covered the mountain, reducing the visibility to a minimum' and the men were in a serious plight. Two days later, one, of them, Mr. George Ward, made his way back to the camp where the •three men were living; and,. finding .that his .companions were still missing, went up to the ‘homestead on Horehore station to seek assistance Lost in the Fog

After two nights in the open Mr. Jim Ward was the next man to.arrive back in; camp, reaching there an ‘an exhausted condition and showing signs of his severe ordeal. f. Mr. Jim Ward said that he had followed his pig until the visibility commenced to fail and then he tried to find his. way back to the camp. Despite bis knowledge of the locality, he was unable to. do this and' wandered about on the mountain in an effort to find his way out of the fog. Eventually .he was able to make his way back to the camp, where he arrived on Sunday. % Neither man toad seen any trace of Mr. Campbell and as the latter was still missing a search party of 30 residents, all of whom have an., intimate knowledge of the .bush in the district, .set out to look for the missing man.

Inquiries made this morning elicited' the information that, until last night, no trace of the missing man. could be found and the gravest fears .are entertained for his safety. Six Days Missing

Mr. Campbell 'has been out in the bush since Friday last and must have suffered terribly from bis exposure to the elements. Doubts are expressed as to his fate as the mountain is very bleak end offers- Little shelter from the weather and the intense cold. It is thought that unless he has found shelter of some sort his .privations may have proved too much'for him.

The police are in constant communication with the search parties.